WARNING: This chapter depicts interfacing, but not how we normally think of it. This is one of my many theories on Cybertronian interfacing; I'm curious to see what you all think of it. It was inspired by a picture I saw a couple years ago, but I can't find it anymore.

"We need to talk about your blaster accuracy."

Roadkill kept his gaze to the floor as the Decepticon warlord entered the room and stood beside him. Megatron gestured towards several of the targets Roadkill had been practicing on—each one had several holes in it, but only one had been hit in the bull's-eye.

"I—I'm sorry, Lord Megatron. I know I can do better. I'll train harder. Please, I—"

"Cease this groveling. You're sounding like Starscream." Megatron regarded Roadkill with obvious distaste, but the expression faded quickly. "You have outperformed over half my Vehicon troops."

Roadkill nearly choked. "I…I did well?" It didn't take him long to remember the show—most of the Vehicons shot like storm troopers. Roadkill, by contrast, had grown up shooting, and although it had taken him a while to get used to the gun being a part of his body, he'd adjusted quickly enough.

"Indeed. Ensure that this strength of yours becomes a benefit to the Decepticon cause."

Roadkill nodded quickly. "I will, Lord Megatron."

"Given your performance, we have decided to upgrade your blasters. With me, Roadkill." Megatron led Roadkill out of the room. They traversed several halls and arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary office room. As the door shut behind them, Megatron entered a few codes into the computer. The screen blinked off, and the hum of electronics in the room diminished significantly. Megatron turned to glare at Roadkill.

"This…this isn't the armory," Roadkill said nervously.

"You would do well to keep these unnecessary observations to yourself," Megatron said. Roadkill cringed as the larger Decepticon stepped toward him and raised his arm—

But instead of striking him, Megatron gently placed a hand on the small of his back. Roadkill felt waves of—something. Was that attraction? None of it made sense; Megatron being gentle, him liking it? He couldn't deny that Knockout had a certain charm, but he'd never thought of Megatron that way—until now.

"Before you joined us, you mentioned interfacing with yourself." Megatron ran his other hand along Roadkill's right side, sending more waves of desire through his body. "The reason this is impossible will soon become clear."

Megatron's fingers pressed certain pressure points on Roadkill's body, and the former human felt the metal panels on his torso begin to retract, revealing a network of cables and ports. He stared down at himself in shock, and soon Megatron had undergone the same transformation.

Although Megatron was much larger, they both appeared to have the same number of ports. The similarities ended there, though; while Roadkill's insides were shiny and new, Megatron's were scarred from millennia of battle. A few of the ports appeared damaged from particularly heinous injuries, but even through the fog of desire Roadkill knew better than to ask.

The warlord drew him closer until they were almost touching. Roadkill squeaked in surprise and pleasure as cables from his body plugged themselves into Megatron's ports, and Megatron's inserted themselves into his. They seemed to have a life of their own—

Roadkill couldn't think anymore. The bliss overtook him as fluids—and something else—exchanged between Megatron's body and his own. Roadkill felt his knees weaken and grabbed Megatron's waist for support, and almost immediately he felt waves of pleasure entering him from his partner. They weren't just sharing fluids, he realized; they were sharing emotion.

Roadkill soon felt his own feeling enter into the warlord. Their sparks seemed to be pulsing as one. As Roadkill's knees gave out, his partner held him up, creating waves of pleasure in both of them in an endless feedback loop.

"M-mega…tron…"

That last utterance pushed it over the edge. The feeling swelled—each one's bliss feeding off the other—and they climaxed, together—

As the feeling died down, Roadkill could still feel waves of pleasure pulsing with every sparkbeat, each one lessening in intensity. Megatron stood there for a while, supporting him until he could find the strength to stand on his own; only then did he let go as the cables disengaged.

Roadkill stared straight ahead at nothing in particular. The panels on his chest closed, but he could barely think. He blinked, and realized that Megatron had already transformed back to normal and was reactivating the computer.

"Take the rest of the solar cycle off," Megatron said casually. "You are to report to Knockout in the medbay next cycle for your upgrade."

With that, the warlord left the room as though nothing odd had occurred, leaving Roadkill to stare after him.

"Their progress is slow, Optimus." Ratchet shook his head and set down his tools. "I know it's a difficult adjustment, but how can these four humans stand against the threat we're facing? At the rate Shockwave's research is progressing, we won't be able to join them in their world for another two months!"

"Then we must not give up on their training," Optimus said. "Streetracer has already proven his skill in combat, and with patience the others will soon follow."

"It is true that they all show potential." The medic brought up some files on the computer screen. "Twoface seems to be mastering his shapeshifting with increasing speed, and use of holographic technology will further augment his capabilities. Harmony's vocal ranges extend beyond even Cybertronian ranges of hearing, and with practice I believe she'll be able to compromise the integrity of certain materials—shatter glass, weaken metal—using only her voice. From what I've heard from the Decepticons, Roadkill has increased sensory perception. So far, Streetracer's shown no sign of special ability aside from a high pain tolerance, but what he lacks in power, he more than makes up for in skill, as we've seen."

"Although they have all had their difficulties adjusting, I worry about Harmony. Her behavior has been…erratic, and my attempts to reach out to her seem to have upset her further."

The distress in Optimus's voice was obvious; as a leader, he'd learned to recognize signs of mental illness long ago and, given time and help from fellow Autobots, had often been successful in helping his allies to become more stable. The few times he'd failed had never ended well.

"She seems to be opening up to Twoface and some of the humans. Perhaps one of them could help," Ratchet said. It wasn't an ideal plan, but he knew his leader well, and offering some solution would at least prevent Optimus from beating himself up over it. "Personally, I worry more about Roadkill and his decision to remain with the Decepticons." Ratchet shook his head. "I don't think he understood what he was agreeing to."

Optimus nodded gravely. "Although Roadkill's situation is worrisome, we must respect his decision. When he is ready to join our ranks, he will make the choice himself."

"What if he is somehow prevented from leaving the Decepticons on his own?" Ratchet asked.

"I do not believe Megatron—"

"Optimus!" Ratchet jabbed his finger at the computer screen. "I…by the Allspark…"

Optimus stared gravely at the screen for several moments before quietly turning away. The only hint of his mood showed in his left hand, its fingers slowly curling into a fist.